Camera focusing mechanism



July 11, 1933. c. R. ERMISCH 1,918,206

CAMERA FOGUSING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN T016 1 3 A TTORNEY y 1, 1,933. c. R. ERMISCH 1,918,206

CAMERA FOCUSING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 {I A TTORNE Y Patented July 11, 1933 1 UNITED STATES "PATENT omen CARL R. EBIlISOH, OF S'L'PAUL, IIN'NESOTA, ASSIGNOB F ONE-Hm TO MELVIN J. HMS, 01 ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA CAKE'BA FOCUSING IECELNISI Application m January as, 1932. Serial No. 588,834.

The present invention relates to a focusin mechanism for cameras.

. 0st cameras, except those of the roll film type have a ground glass attachment which can be fitted intothe back in place of the film or plate so as to properly focus the image on the plate before exposure. Other cameras have a mirror interposed at an angle between the lensand the film or plate to reflect the image onto a ground glass on the top of the camera. In all of these the. object to be photographed must be well illuminated in order to cause the image on the ound glass to be clear enough to determine when it isproperly focused.

. An object of the present invention is to make an improved and simplified focusing mechanism.

In order to attain this object, there is provided, in accordance with one feature of the invention, a supplementary lens of the same focal length as that of a camera lens with which the device is intended cooperate. The supplementary lens is adapted to be connected to the camera lens carriage, to lie in the same plane as the camera lens. An electric lamp is mounted with its filament spaced from the supplementary lens the same light distance that the sensi- 3 tized surface of the film ,or plate to be exposed in the camera, is spaced from the camera lens. Means are provided to substitute for the light filament, a ground glass screen at the same light distance from the supple= mentary lens as said lamp filament, to

used when the object is brightly illuminated.

. Theseand other features of the invention will be more fully brought out in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a camera. with a focusing attachment embodying the present invention mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a front view of the camera and focusing device shown in Figure 1, a portion of the camera being broken away.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure-2.

Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the as a compartment 1 to receive af small elecmaterial parts of the invention, a ray of light being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a sectional view onthe line .55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is an outline of an image of an electric lamp filament when properly focused on an object; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 with the filament image out'of focus.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a housing A is preferably of cast or stamped metal. The upper portion thereof is formed tric battery 2 and a cover 3 is adapted to fit into an opening through which the battery 2 is inserted into' the compartment. A coil spring 4: is secured to the cover 3 and engages the usual metal casing of the battery 2 to ground it to the housing A. A. spring contact member 5 is mounted on an insulated block 6 and is adapted to engage the center contact post of the battery 2. The contact member 5 is insulated from the housing by the block 6 and is connected by a conductor 7 to a metal frame 8 which holds a reflecting mirror 9. When the mirror is in the solid line position shown in Figure 3, the metal mirror frame is in. contact with a spring clip 10 which is fixedly mounted on the upper edge of a metal. tube 11. The metal tube 11 is separated from an outer metal tube 12 by a layer of insulative material 13 which also acts as a binder to bind the inner and outer tubes together as a unit. The outer tube 12 is exteriorly threaded at both ends, its upper end being adapted to screw into an interiorly threaded opening in the lower portion of the housing A. A set screw 14; is provided to hold the tube 12 in adjusted position with the clip 10 in position to receive the loweredge of the mirror when swung to the solid line position of Figure 3.

An internally threaded cap 15 screws onto the lower end of the tube 12 and carries centrally thereof an electric lamp socket 16 in which is mounted a. small electric lamp 17, which is here shown as having an 10f e sud is eruvi zrqizensien e; y A idem l sleeve 24 i meumed a tubular member 52,5v having a assumed the forwsrd end thee i, The iens is of ssme feesi iength as a lens 2? e1 1 with which the device is 5:0 be used. ieiesceping tube preferably pmvided with inner SE1 reiieiis F28 and the interior theme-f is prefershiy T eel (no prevent ieiieetieu i undesiru, .e iighi,

An sim is farmed integrally iens retaining g 39 and is "provided Wi' s extendi me 53 iing. A w shed is pi'vetsiiy supper -sec} e31 end of the thumb screw 35 post 33 and secure the member :49 in peeition, with the supplementary lens -n the :fm'n L new; eh I the esmere may she be fok'iesi m I mesh 12 v hsusing A BT21}? be secured to the as "by means c1" belts e 46,

1 type sf shown is es) Well n "1'39 the the; tailed description u V ififii i s se ya lDilIkd fecusi s 3? is meim'ted in iifil hsie z' cii his a eiose I cf the houssupple iiEViCS. A on hie she embiy e dens ceiiveni g the camera u "1 'ilIilPO sizes :7 s r: nging the i 9 e the emitted. i nesition shown miners either iess 37, or, if i dens on a. iii-ate n0 shown, of cusing should use i a Wall, and

on shewn "mp 1? and the image 01 the iiismeii'l; 18 is I'GLBUbid by the mirror iorwe'riiiy th 'ough the lens 26 If th lens is in pit we; feeus, the image at the filament will appear on she object upon which he focus was ebteineai as a clear, shew-p enlarged, iiiu lasted image 50 0f the filament itself ss she-7m in Figure 7. If not in proper issue, the image will app-2st fuzzy, is shuwn s 1; 51 in Figure 8 Adjustment of the focus is ehtsined by screwing the cap up or 61m ns as required, to oring the image 01" the fiismeinto clear, sharp focus on the ebject. Ghee this adjustment is inside, it "Will be iiiiiiesessary ts repeat it for is life of the limp, and, if the lamps are d e by precisiel'i machinery so that the laments are ail s2; same height with e111, 'weli illurespect J base, it will be unnecessary shown, of a typewell known to the art. The

proper focus may then be obtained by focusing a portion of the object to be photographed on the ground glass 37, it being apparent that the glass 37 is too small to '1 receive the entire ima e to be photographed.

As soon as proper ocus is obtained, the camera shutter may be actuated to make the required exposure. Assuming that a picture is to be made of a darkened or poorly il- 10 luminated object; and this is the principal feature of the present invention, the mirror 9 is swung down to the solid line position shown in Figure 3. This illuminates the lamp l7 and projects the image of the filament forward through the lens 26 as previously described. This image is directed to fall on the object to be hotographed and is focused sharply on said object. This indicates that the camera is focused on said object and exposure may then be made by means of a flashlight or time exposure, as required.

The device is simple and easy to operate and permits easy and accurate focusing under any and all conditions where photography is possible, without removing the film or plate holder from the camera.

Various modifications of the structure may be necessary to adapt the invention for use with different types of cameras, but these can be readily worked out by a mechanic skilled in the art, and it is, therefore, felt unnecessary to burden the present specification by including such modified forms.

I claim:

1. In combination with a camera having an adjustable focusing. lens, a focusing de; vice having an illuminating means, a supplementary focusing lens mounted in the path of light rays from. said illuminatin means, and means adapted to connect sa'i fo using device to a camera to move said supplemental focusing lens in conjunction with said camera lens to focus said light rays upon an object to be photographed at a predetermined distance from said illuminating means, and to co-ordinately focus said camera lens on said object.

2. A camera focusing attachment for a camera having an adjust-ably mounted lens and a sensitized photographic surface therein comprising illuminating means adapted to be mounted on said camera, a lens holder adapted to receive a lens of a focal length equal to that of a camera with which the attachment is to be used, and movable with respect to said illuminating means, and adjusting means mounted to co-ordinately focus the camera lens, and to focus the image of said illuminating means on an object to be photographed.

3. In combination with a camera having an adjustable focusing lens, an illuminated member, and focusing means mounted in the path of light rays from said illuminated member to focus an image of said illuminated member on an object to be photographed co-ordinately with the focusing of said camera lens.

4. In combination with a camera having an adjustable focusing lens, a supplementary lens of the same focal length as said camera lens mounted in the same plane as said camera lens and connected thereto to be adjustable therewith, and illuminating means positioned to project an image thereof through said supplementary lens to be focused thereby on an object to be photographed co-ordinately with the focusing of said camera lens on said object.

5. In combination with a camera having an adjustable focusing lens, a supplementary lens mounted in the same plane as said camera lens and adjustable therewith, a ground glass focusing screen mounted in alinement with said supplementary lens, a reflecting mirror removably positioned in the path of light rays between said supplementary lens and said focusing screen and at an acute angle thereto, an illuminating member mounted to project light rays onto said Jreflecting mirror and outwardly through said supplementary lens, said illuminating means being the same light distance from said supplementary lens when so reflected as that which separates said supplementary lens from said reflecting screen to focus an image of said illuminating mem 1 5 ber on an object to be photographed co-ordinately with the focusing of' said camera lens on said object.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

CARL R. ERMISCHL 

